DuPage County Stormwater Management News & Updates

DuPage County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 02/20/2025 09:41 AM CST

February 2025                                                                                                                               View this email in your browser
DuPage County Currents

DuPage County Stormwater Management Releases 2024 Annual Report

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A drone's eye view of a tour group looking out at the Elmhurst Quarry, during the public tours in September.

SWM released its annual report for 2024 in early February. This past year marked the completion of the Department's award-winning Township and Municipal Match Share Program, with 25 projects constructed and reimbursed across the County. Between these 25 projects and the Department's in-house projects, our work has resulted in 33,000 ft of new or restored storm sewers, 5 million gallons of new flood storage capacity, and reduced flooding impacts on hundreds of households.

Read the Report

SWM Hosts Green Infrastructure Seminar for Professionals

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SWM Chairman Jim Zay gives opening remarks at the Green Infrastructure Seminar in Addison.

Last week, SWM hosted the annual Green Infrastructure Seminar for MS4 communities. Nearly 130 engineers, field crews and consultants gathered at Medinah Shriner Center in Addison to hear presentations on the design and implementation of Best Management Practices at Lake County's Central Permit Facility, and a breakdown of what the Illinois EPA is looking for in grant applications.

Since 2018, SWM has led a countywide water quality program, partnering with 41 municipalities and townships on meeting the requirements of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. ILR40 for Stormwater Discharges. This program aligns water quality goals countywide, eliminates redundancies, and reduces the reporting and paperwork burden on communities. As part of this program, SWM hosts staff training for public agencies each year, saving approximately $400,000 in taxpayer dollars annually.

SWM Seeking Input from Residents and Businesses Near Prentiss Creek for Developing Watershed Plan

SWM has begun the process of developing a watershed plan for Prentiss Creek, encompassing portions of Downers Grove, Woodridge, Darien, and Lisle. If you own property or a business within the watershed, SWM invites you to fill out a questionnaire that will help identify flooding, erosion and water quality issues in the area. Click the link below to find an interactive map of the watershed and to fill out the questionnaire.

Prentiss Creek Watershed Plan Homepage

Around Town

Registration is now open for Sustainable Design Challenge 2025! This annual program challenges local high school students to design and construct a building model with adapted Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) criteria as the guide. The event will be held at DuPage County campus on Tuesday, April 15th, so be sure to share this info with any students or teachers who may be interested or with your teacher friends so they can share it with their classes! In addition to getting to know professionals in the engineering and architecture fields, students who participate can win up to $500 in cash! Students can join alone or with a team - participation is completely FREE! More information at the link below!

More Info

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High school students present their sustainable design projects to a panel of field experts, including SWM staff.

Upcoming Events

Conservation@Home Professional Training: Designing Small-Scale Native Landscapes

Wednesdays, March 5th, 12th & 19th, 2025, 9:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.

Homeowners and small businesses are increasingly asking for sustainable, resilient landscapes that showcase the benefits and beauty of native plants. However, landscape design and installation professionals often do not have the expertise and tools needed to help homeowners and businesses achieve these goals.

Hosted by The Conservation Foundation and sponsored by DuPage County Stormwater Management, this free in-person workshop series showcases tools and resources that small-scale landscape designers and installers can use to add native gardens to their portfolio. Register today!

More Info

Pollinator Blitz: Bringing Conservation Home

Saturday, March 15, 2025, 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Join The Conservation Foundation for an inspiring one-day conference open to all and dedicated to celebrating the incredible importance of pollinators. This event will explore practical ways we can all support pollinators by planting native plants in our own gardens, yards, and green spaces. Throughout the day, enjoy a series of engaging talks by expert speakers on a wide range of pollinator-related topics, and leave with actionable steps to help protect these vital creatures. Explore the exhibit hall featuring local organizations dedicated to pollinator conservation, construct your own pollinator garden seed bombs, and shop with local talented vendors offering nature-inspired art, crafts, and wares. Plus, enjoy coffee and food trucks on-site! Bring conservation home and help save our pollinators!

More Info